Rock ‘n’ Roll is My Religion

The year is 1984. I was fresh out of massage school… a ripe 19 years old. My cousin worked for Belkin productions, the company that promoted rock concerts in Cleveland. One day she called me and said, “Cuz, such and such, the biggest name in rock ‘n’ roll at the time, is coming to Cleveland and they want massages. I volunteered you.” I was in a state of shock, but gladly accepted the offer. Weirdly enough, I was not nervous or overly excited. I felt I would be great for the job.

I arrived at the coliseum with my massage table in check, but I was secretly looking forward to the massive parties back stage. To my dismay, the backstage seemed quite quiet. All the artists were in their private dressing rooms and keeping to themselves. I was taken to the catering hall and noticed that there was a completely organic and vegetarian spread. In those days this was very rare and unheard of. Whole Foods was not a household name. I also noticed there was not an ounce of alcohol backstage. The most intoxicating beverage I could find was Coca-Cola. Wives had taken the place of the groupies. The Myth was shattered!

The first artist I worked on was the Saxophone player. He had the spiritual name, given to him by his Guru, on the dressing room door instead of his real name. When I entered his dressing room, I felt I had entered a Temple. It was lit with candles, incense permeated the air, and a picture of his Guru stared at me throughout the entire massage. I worked with most of the band that night just doing massage to get them ready for the marathon show. There was a medical doctor backstage giving them B12 shots to boost their energy for the big performance. Each artist was so thoughtful and down to earth. I was taken by their humility and realness. It was an ego-free zone.

They put on a super 4-hour show that night. I watched from backstage and I could see what an amazing dynamic a rock concert was. The band gives energy to the audience. The audience gives love and more energy to the band. The band gets high on the energy from the crowd. And it seems like it can go of forever. The only thing that made the band come off the stage was the venue saying that they had to go.

I will never forget that night as I saw the power of music to elevate the energy of a theater to a higher vibration. It is no wonder that some people feel that going to a concert can be like a religious experience. I decided rock ‘n’ roll would be one of my religions too! It would blend very well with my Catholic upbringing. Catholics revere saints. So, why not add a few like Jimi Hendrix, Patron Saint of the Wa Wa Pedal; Santana, the Archangel of Long Instrumental Grooves; Keith Richards, Holy Father of the Rhythm Guitar: and of course Our Lady Madonna.

After the show, that band asked me to tour with them as a massage therapist. I had to say no because I was very committed to the idea of finishing medical school.

I regretted that decision for a very long time. Luckily, I had the chance again almost 17 years later…

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Scott Ian

“I never take my quality of life for granted and always do my best to eat well and stay in shape. It’s the only way for me to be able to do what I do on stage and make it new every night. Dr. G’s book will show you how it’s done!”

Scott Ian

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Dave Navarro

“Feeling good is a huge part of staying on top of your game for performances. Touring is grueling enough… Staying healthy is the key to longevity and well being in what can be a very isolated environment. In other words, read this book!”

Dave Navarro

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Gabriel Roth (AKA Bosco Man)

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David Ellefson

“Finally, Dr. Gabrielle Francis’ book has dispelled the myth; that sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll really has been replaced with mind, body, spirit in a quest for the ultimate artistic experience. I’m proud to be part of this journey myself.”

David Ellefson

bassist, Megadeth

Saul Simon MacWilliams

“I started not eating any wheat or gluten. I encourage it even if you’re not wheat intolerant because it focuses your mind on eating other things that are healthier, ‘Hey I can’t have all those beers. What else can I have instead?’ I’ll have tequila. It’s gluten free. It’s fewer calories. And you don’t chug It.” “Saul Simon MacWilliams”

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Liberty Devitto

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REVIEW

“Do the things that bring you joy while being mindful of your health and you can still party like a rock star. That’s the premise and the promise of this book from Dr. Francis, developed over 25 years of working with some of the world’s most famous music gods."

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